Friction-rotary blotting device for duplicating machines



J. s. M LANE FRICTION-ROTARY BLOTTING DEVICE FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Dec. 14,1948.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 8, 1947 Im'eniar Jack 8. McLane s. MCLANE Dec. 14, 1948. J, 2,456,009

, FRICTION-ROTARY BLOTTING DEVICE FOR DUPLIGATING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 8, 1947 JIIIIIII'IIII'I'IIII' Jack S. Mc Lane 1948- J. 5. M LANE 2,456,009

FRICTION-ROTARY BLOTTING DEVICE v FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed April 8, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 O Y 7 I F I 9 7 V. I I I I. h I

I Inventor Jack 8. Mc Lane x I 5 Attorney Fig. I0.

ll IIIIIIIII. wlllllllzllfl "'11 1 Patented Dec. 14, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRICTION-ROTARY BLOTTING DEVICE FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Jack S. McLane, Columbia, S. C. Application April 8, 1947, Serial No. 740,080

6 Claims.

This invention relates to printing or duplicating machines, such as for producing reproductions of letters, cuts and other matter from a printed form, stencil or wax sheet held upon a drum or cylinder, such as used in duplicating machines of the mimeograph type or the like, and more especially to a device or attachment therefor in the form of a friction-rotary blotting device for such paper duplicating machines, designed to quickly dry or blot the impressions on the paper or printed sheets as delivered from the duplicating machine so as to prevent smearing of the sheet carrying the impression prior to depositing it in a receiving tray. I

It is the purpose of this machine to quickly dry and blot the paper carrying the impression, prior to depositing it in the receiving tray and to greatly simplify and expedite the delivery and the drying'or blotting of the paper carryingthe impression. Paper as it comes from the duplieating machine carries the impression and the ink not having had sufiicient time to dry, the result is that the speed of the machine is reduced in order to avoid smearing or otherwise blotting the wet impressions.

It is the purpose of this device to eliminate this difiiculty by applyinga cylinder having a blotting material surface to the impression as it emerges from the duplicating machine, so that it will be partially dried and reduce the smear.

as above referred to, and inmost instances entirely avoid smearing, and in addition, permit speeding up of the operation of theduplicating machine so that the number of impressions which the duplicating machine can produce, will be greatly increased. The blotting material can be renewed quickly by slipping on a new blotting material surface in the form of a new sleeve on the blotting material roller or cylinder.

In this connection, it might be pointed out that as numerous copies are falling in the receiving tray, the damp'surface exposed" to the backside of the next impression on the sheet deposited in the receiving tray thereover, is liable to discoloration, smearing and producing an end result which is not neat. 'Heretofore, a technique known as slip-sheeting has been employed on existing machines to prevent" smearing and discoloration, but the mechanical aids and operation thereof isrelatively complicated especially in the insertion and replacement or setting up thereof, and the present invention isdesigned to greatly simplify and-produce other advantages in facility, over said technique anduin the mechanical aids required for the insertion of the.

2 required drying sheets, which is entirely eliminated by the present invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the blotting material cylinder or roller'is prevented from contacting a soft rubber pressure roller positioned therebeneath, when a sheet is not being delivered, so as to keep said soft rubber roller ink free thereby further preventing smearing and discoloration of the impression sheet and to cause the blotting cylinder to engage said soft rubber roller only when the sheet is being delivered. The device is so controlled that when the impression roller of the duplicator which operates beneath the printing or wax stencil form is'down, it will automatically operate to lift the blotting cylinder or roller so that it will notengage the soft rubber roller, but will be lowered to receive and advance the impression sheet when the latter is delivered from the duplicating machine, during which time the impression roller of the duplicating machine is raised against the printing sheet or drum as the paper is being fed through the duplicator, thereby pressing the mimeograph surface or sheet between the blotting and soft rubber pressure rollers to dry or blot the impression'on the sheet before delivery into the receiving tray.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for facilitating the removal of the drying or blotting roller in order to replace the blotting surface or sleeve thereof and to hold the same out of contact with the soft rubber roller during this operation or at such other times as desired.

A still further object is toprovide means for feeding the sheets through when blotting is not necessary, such as due to the absorbent nature of thesheet bearing the impression; to provide meansforregulating the degree of pressure of the blotting and drying cylinder against the soft rubber roller and for driving the latter from the duplicating machine, as well as adjustment of the receiviingtray for different sized sheets.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully' Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one of the bearings for the blotting and drying roller or cylinder;

Figure '7 is a perspective view partlybrol;er 1v away and in section showing the blotting or drying sleeve of the blotting or drying roller and the manner of applying the same; 1

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 2;}

Figure 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure Land Figures 10 and 11 are detail views of the mea s for holding the blotting or drying roll-er or cylinder in a raised position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, in which like, reference characters designate correspond; ing parts throughout thegseveral views a paper. d l at n ac 15 s; h 9! a mimeog-raph or. similar. device, having the usual,

tand. or fram B and rbnd o y ra L hich ceives. the sheets-upon whichthe impressionisl to-be made, for. delivery. to the ldrum oncylinder- I B-bearing the. type, stencil or. other form; adapted to. be reproduced and cooperatingwith theimpres; sion roller 1 I 9- journaled therebeheath and which.

moves into andout of contact with the, duplicat.

ing-rollerl8. The drumon-roller I 8 -is. suitably. journaled in bearings at the sides of the. dupli eating machine, the shaft 21., of which is pro;..

vided; at one end with tpulleyor sprocket wheel 22-; driven bya suitable endless. drive: men berr chain; or belt 2 3. in the customary man-, 1181?. The impression; roller; I3 is mounted in the. ends of levers 24 pivoted; at 25; adg'acent'their, opposite ends in conneetion with, the sides, or frame of the duplicatingmachine; and-adapted, torise and fall so as,topresent the. impression roller against the duplicating oller when a p s n being. ad w h ded catin hi a d t e' n et i h e fi si nni ed; by theimpression-roller; bu H away from the same in a. dow a H whe no sheet in ein -pa ed T s nnerntl is effected in; the usual wayby cams. onthe drum; 58: engaging ne th o ler roller levers or arms. 24,0f the-du latter moves upwardly and against; the stencil: or;

form of the drum to feed thesheets th TQugh-the; machine and at thesame time duplicate; or print; the matter'appearin-g upon the stencil; or-fornrof the drum with inkfed thereto in the u sua-lman=;-. 1161f.

he r in r bl t n vineq r then n nnt invention embodies an attachment; to. thelivery-endofthe duplicating rr achine, and as in th as f t d pl catina n-achina mn eea a. frame 26 having side plates 21: with extensions- 281 having holes bolted to the. side plates and" frame I! of the duplicating machine I5 as.-indi-.. cated at 29. Frame 26 has a forwarding plate 30 which is disposed adjacent or impinges upon the impression roller l9, usually of soft rubber, of the duplicating machine so as to receiver the sheetsas delivered'with the impression thereon from between the drum l8 and roller I 9: between the blotting roller 31* and:- a softrubber e. impression;

pressure roller 32, the former of which is removably journaled in arms 33 of a yoke including a transverse horizontal shaft 34 pivoted through the sides 21 of the frame 26 and the latter of which is fixed to a shaft 35 journal-ed in the sides 2'! beneath the roller 3|. The plate 30 is suitably supported in the frame 26 as by means of angle iron supports 3.5 bolted to the inner faces, of the sides and-an end plate3'lflanged atits edges and similarly attached to the side plates 2! as indicated at 38, while the plate 30 is detachably connected to the angle members 36 as indicated at39.

At the delivery side of the drum 3| and the pressureiroll-er 32, an inclined discharge plate 40 is mounted between the sides 21 and supported by a vertical flanged plate or wall 4! which is in tu gn detachably or otherwise connected to the bottom 42 bolted to the bottom flange of the nd ln enr w l 3. a t nndn ov d d. wi ide flange .4. bolted. o. the d s H1 rame 1. as ind ated. t. from whi h depend. ri n ular. ex ensions. 6 r ced. t th d 11: nd nttqmfifi, b n flanged nd. late. Sui abl elte in. osi ion hr u h. the. fla e as indi:- nte.s1.n 8. t he si es can n tninfifi. nf tihe. am an tan inf hndi p l at na machine. at mo e Particular ysnownineur s and 2 f ine. raw n s, he ttom. 2,, or s, h b ttqm. of an extensionor receiving tray. 4 B whi ch rec eives he. ri ed, eets afte he. mp e sion s mnd-cand-th s m re: l t d an m nn r. o b he e.- inafter described, 'Ihi tray has outwardly flanged sides. Wwith theltray openat bothends. l dnble d' late-i xt d .nwn rom. a bottom portion 52 having, depending side, ang s. .3.; slida le in; a. euideway. 5.4. comprisin a substantially. Ll-shap'edror flanged plate. having OUtrtlllI'lfid; flanges 55 bolted to thepbottorn 4.2, as indicated at 5.6 in which thebottom portion 52 a he ndi s nblnn member. 5L slides and ric qnnl y held b nninv r qd Yr he p d in sg urn -1 b om, the uide .1 ne end, as indicated at 58 so as to hold the. adjust: hleen zmemb n i in adius nd-nq m xt n ing upright at, the Open. discharge end; of the tray. Thaflanges 53 are. providedv with turned ends; 5 9 forming stops: or. shoulders to, engage the. side edges of the. sides. or.- flanges of. the.guide. way. 54 to prevent displacement of the adjust.-, able upright member 51- when. moved outwardly to. accommodate sheets of. different lengths.

Suitablecams on-the drum [3; cooperatewith rollers; on the. impression roller levers or arms- 2.4;- of. the; duplicating; machine L5,. in the usual manner; tornove the. impression roller I9: downwardly away, from the, printing surface of, the. drum when no sheet'is being fed, but tomove the impression, roller against: the drum for the impression as the; sheet is fed forwardly between aid dr md. oller; and. o h rw rd lntsfilleq ns,. ab t i nenq nr en ine res e 11- W m v ment o he mp ession ea et -9 maybe additionallyeffected; by, means of springs 68, connected to! the levers; or armsv 24 and; havingadjustment screws 6| operating through threaded ears 62g on the sidesof the frame of the duplicate ing machine or attachment;- and connected tothe springs to regulate the tension. thereof. Both rollers l 9 and 32 preferablyhave coveringsofvery softrubber with smooth surfaces Both rollers constitute feed rollers. although primarily; the, drum3l isdriven to advance the sheet between of the frame 26. 7

surfaces 8!! engaged by the bent ends 8| of springs the latter and the im'pression roller I9, and may beturned manually by means of a crank or from a suitable motor mounted on the frame of the duplicating machine. The shaft of the pressure roller32 carries'a pinion 63 which meshes. with a larger pinion 64 fixedtoa shaft 65 journaled through the'sides'of the frame 26 and bearing on an extended end thereof, a sprocket wheelv 66 drying'covering; sheet or sleeve 13 is mountedso asto be renewable and for which the cork covering formsa foundation so asto-be relatively soft whereby to conform to and engage all parts of the impression by conformation therewith to insure blotting or drying of the wet ink of the printed sheet by contact with the. impression or printed side thereof in passing between the rollers 3| and32. This is due to the fact that the printed sheet is printed on its upper surface as it passes beneath the drum I8 of the duplicating machine and this surface is therefor presentedupwardly against theblotting or dryingroller 3| as it passes therebeneath. The roller 32"assists' in conformation, drying andblotting by pressing upwardly against'the blotting or drying roller, against the bottom face of the sheet. The roller 32 like the impression roller i9; may havethe rubber sleeve or covering thereof "of soft rubber with'a'perfectly smooth exterior surface, mounted "on a core of wood or other material, as indicated at 13. Thus,'-the friction which is caused by the rubber covering of the roller 32, causes the papertopass under the blotting or drying roller 3| and to'turn the latter as the roller 32 is driven or"activated by the gears which are in turn driven or activated by the sprockets and chain taking its mechanical impulse from the shaft of the rotating duplicating drum. y 1 i "In order to detachablymountthe blotting or drying roller 3|, the latteris'held in position by nuts or collars l lat'the'reduced ends of the shaft or core Iii which are provided with bearing sockets outwardly of end plates 15 held inposition by the collars o'r nuts 14; as indicated at 16 .r

to rotatably'engage inwardly pressed spring pins ll held in sleeves I8 fixed to the free" ends" of the arms 33 of theyoke supporting the roller 3| and having knurled heads, knobs or nuts 19 on the outer ends of the pins so that they may be'pulled outwardly to permitinsertion of the roller 3| and engagement of the'inner ends of the pins with the socketslB by releasing the spring pressed pins, thereby permitting the roller 3| to be removed for renewing the absorbent or blotting and drying surface or sleeve '13 by merely displacing the 'pins from the sockets so that-the roller 3| can bereadily removed from its supporting yoke within the sides Heads or knobs 19 have flat or strips 82 secured to the outer surfaces" of'the arms 33 in order'to prevent turning of the heads, and thus the pins I1 to which they are fixed so that the roller 3| can turn thereon and/move upwardly and downwardlyin'v'ertically elongated slots 83 in the sides 21 of theframe 2B for engaging the impression or ink surface of the sheets as they are delivered between the blotting, or drying roller 3| and the pressure roller 32. However, theroller 3| andarms 33 are resiliently held downwardly as by means of springs 84 connected to the arms 33 at their upper ends and rods 85 at their lower ends which extend through studs 86 bolted through the side plates 2! and bear nuts 81 ontheir lower threadedends to constitute adjustable tension members for controlling the pressure of the roller 3| exercised against the roller 32.

In order to raise and lower the blotting or drying roller 3| so as to raise it out of contact with the pressure roller 32 when a sheet is not passing and to move it into engagement with the sheet when delivered by the duplicating machine, in timed relation to the entry of the sheet between said rollers and so that the roller 3| will beraised when the impression roller I9 is down and tolower it when the impression roller I9 is raised automatically during the feeding of the paper sheets for the purpose of printing or making an impression thereon and so that the blotting roller will not engage the pressure roller directly so as to keep the same ink free, thefollowing means is provided, Angular levers 88 are fixed or pinned to a shaft 89 through the sides 21 and the short'arms thereof toward the duplicator bear steel rollers 90 which-impinge or engage upon the bottom of the impression roller levers 24 of theduplicating machine. The outer or long arms of the levers 88' are adjustable in length and each includes an extension section 9| having a pair of slots 92 through which 'c1amping screws 93 engage to turn in threaded apertures 94 in the arm for the purpose of adjusting the length of the long arm. The free end of each arm carries a steel roller 95 which engage beneaththe arms 33, so that when the paper sheets are not being ejected by the duplicating machine, the cams on the drum l8 will cause the impression roller l9 to be lowered or moved in spaced relation downwardly beneath the drum, thereby pressing downwardly on the rollers 90 to swing the levers 88 on their pivots and the longer arms upwardly to raise the arms 33 of the 'yoke and thus liftthe rotat ing blotting roller from the impression roller 32 whereby the ink from the blotter or absorbent roller will be prevented from being trans; ferred to the pressure roller, thus preventing possible discoloration or smearing of the roller 32 so as'to keep it ink free. However, the long arms are normally held downwardly by means of springs 96, the tension of which may be adjusted, said springs being connected to the long arms at the extensions 9| and to the'sides 21 of the frame 26 so as to normally hold the rollers 95 out of' engagement with the arms 33 and when the impression roller I9 held up against the drumi 8 by the cam mechanism or the springs 66 when passing and duplicating or printing a sheet. However, when the impression roller i9 is moved down when a sheet is not passing, that is between the printing operations of the duplicator, the levers 88 are swung to cause the rollers to engage the arms 33 and raise the blotting or drying roller 3| thus preventing smearing or marring of the impression. In other words,

when the paper sheets are fed through the duplicator, the impression roller will automatically come up or be raised causing the blotting or drying roller to come down, pressing the mimeo'graphed surface between 'thef'same and the pressureroller 32 toidry .or blot the paper. The, drying oriblottingroller 3! can be readily removedfrom its mounting assembly at the extr'emities of the arms 33 of the yoke not only for .the purpose of permittingrenewal of the blotting sleeve or surface 13, but for use when the nature of the paper is such that it is ,comparatively absorbent and the ink readily dries without blotting. Suitable bearings 9! are provided for the shaft or pivot axis 34Tof the yoke and'between the sides 27, said pivot axis has arms 98 fixed thereto as by set screws 99, extending through the arms, which latter extend forwardly under the blotting roller; 3I as seen more'particularly in Figure 4 of the drawings, with loosely pivoted tapered fingers or leaders I; pivoted on theends thereof with .freely swingingjoints, and made of aluminum alloyor otherwise so as to be relatively light and engage over the discharge plate 40 in angular relation tothe arms 98 in the direction of discharge of the'paper sheetsprinted as described, so that even when the blotting and drying roller has been taken out the fingers or leaders I99 will continue to guide or lead the paper sheets into thetray 49 without putting the drying or blotting roller back in the machine. These guide assemblies, especially the fingers or leaders of the guides, insure that the paper which has carried theimpressionsis ejectedinto the receiving tray with the blotting roller in position or out. However, additional means may be provided for this purpose consisting of a relatively U-shaped wire arm it! having angularly bent crank ends I92 engageable in any one of a plurality of holes I93 in the sides 21 and having its bight or connecting portion mounting small soft rubber rollers Illa with metal bearings and coil springs I05 frictionally slidable thereon on each side of the rollers to permit adjustment of the, positions and spacing of the rollers and act as guides therefor. This device lays in the receiver or receiving tray and when it is desired to pass mimeograph sheets printed as described, through, the sheets will be guided into the tray even though the blotting or drying roller is removed, by swinging the sameover againstthe soft rubber surface of the pressure roller 32 under the normal position of the blotting roller to'guide the work through the machine and onto the discharge plate 40 and subsequently into the tray 49.

As means of raising the arms of the yoke supporting the blotting and drying roller 3 I, to facilitate removal and replacement thereof or to hold the arms 33 e1evated when the blotting or drying roller is not in use, as when the guiding device IIII and rollers I04 are being used, at which time spring arms or clips H06 secured to studs or bolts I 01 at the sides 2'! adjacent the discharge ends thereof, bear on the crank portions I82 of the U -shaped arm IllIto hold the rollers I9 4 against the pressure roller 32,the following means is provided. A shaft I08 is journaled through the frame 26 at the sides 27 beneath the bottom 42 and beneath the intermediate portions of the arms 33. This shaft bears on its ends, substantially heart-shaped cams or eccentrics I09 engaging steel rollers IID journaled on the lower ends of slidable bars IIE having each a pair of slots H2 elongated in the lengths of the bars and receiving bolts H3 secured through the side walls 21 to slidably retain the bars against the outer surfaces of said side walls. The upper ends of the bars are, bet outwardly at right, angles toprqvide horizontal angular ,endportions IILWhich-engage'beneath the arms. 33 between the adjustable tension springs 84 and the pivot axis of the yoke bearing said arms. Springs I I5 are connected to the ends lIiland ,to studs,v I I6 extending-putwardly from the .upper bolts II3 which as before stated, are anchoredto the sides 27, sothat the springs normallydraw the, ends I I4 and barsuII I downwardly whereby the rollers III) are caused to constantly, engage the "cam surfaces of, the heart-shaped cams or eccentrics I09. A crank handle I I1 is fixed to one end of the shaft I08 for rotating thelatter, .so that the low portionsof the cams when presented to the rollers IIU,.will permit the springs I I5 to lower the bars and ends I I4, whereby the drying, or blottingwrollenfi.may swing down with .the arms 33 under the tension of the springs 84 .while permitting thesame to swing upwardlywhen'actuated by the impression roller I 9 and arms .88 as previously described. However, by turningthe. crank handle I III, and presenting the high points of, the. cams .to the rollers III], the arms,.33,and roller 3! maybe raised clear of the pressure. roller 32 and, heldin this position to facilitate removal and replacement of the roller 3 I specifically, by drawingoutwardly on the spring pressedpins II at the knobs or heads 79, in removing the absorbent or blotting surfaceor sleeves 13,.in renewing the latter when it becomes absorbed with, the ink. The central depression in the cams. I09. permits the same to be held against turning with, the arms 33 and roller 3! raised so that it is free to turn, instead of pressing on the roller 32, which would interfere with its removal and replacement and the friction and pressure which would have .to be counteracted in displacing the pins 'I'! in order to removeor replace the roller 3|.v v a In the operation of the device,.the, sheets to be impressed or printedare fed between the duplicating drum I8 and the pressure roller I9 of the duplicating machine with the impression roller I9 lowered. When the forward edge of the sheet enters between said drum and roller, as the drum is, rotated, the impression, roller I9 raised against the bottomof the sheet so asto pressnthe same against the. stencil or printing form of the drum assisted by the springs 69 or cam mechanism on the drumjassociated with the, rollers of the arms 24 or otherwise, so that the sheet isfied forward to the forwarding plate 30 as it is printed. The sheets with the impresisonsthereon, are then fed forward between the'rollers 3| and 32. However, when the impression roller I 9 is lowered, the arms 26 engage the short arms of theJeVers 89, so as to raise the varms33 and the blotting or drying roller 3I away from the? pressure roller 32 but when the sheetjentersnbetween the rollers 3| and 32, the former is loweredby. the springs 84 and96 pulling, downwardly on. the arms 33 and long arms of the levers 88. with the impression roller I9 raised, thus causing the blotting surface or covering of the. rolleflr,3I.,to, bepresented to the inked impression of the sheet at the top while being pressedv against the roller 32 at the bottom, to quicklyjand effectively blot. and dry the ink on the sheets carrying the impression prior to depositing the same into the receiving tray as previously described. In this way, the difiiculty heretofore experienced by the paper sheets coming from the duplicating machine carrying the impression and not, havinghad sufficient timetodry so, as tonecessitate thathi'e speed of the machine be reduced in order to avoid smearing or otherwise blotting the wet impressions, is overcome and it is possible to speed up the operation of the duplicating machine by applying the blotting material surface to the impression as it emerges from the duplicating machine, so that it will be partially dried and reduce the possible smearing, discoloration and result in neater work, as well as giving advantages over the existing machines using a technique known as slip-sheeting in that the mechanical aids required for the'insertion of the required drying sheets is eliminated entirely by the present invention. Obviously, the absorbent or blotting and drying surface or covering for the'roller 3! consisting of the sleeve 13,, may be readily renewed or replaced when desired, the removal and reapplication of a new sleeve with a clean blotting and drying surface being greatly facilitated by the mounting assembly of the roller as previously described. In this manner, the output of the duplicating machine with work which is not smeared, or discolored, and which is much neater is possible.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A blotting and drying attachment for duplicating machines having a printing drum suitably driven and an impression roller coacting therewith, means coacting between the drum and impression roller to cause raising and lowering of the impression when to engage the drum and printing surface or to move downwardly away from the same when the sheets are fed forwardly and upwardy against the sheet for impressing the same, comprising levers swingably supporting said impression roller, a blotting and drying roller, a yoke movably supporting said blotting and drying roller to be raised and lowered, a pressure roller beneath the blotting and drying roller, means for driving said pressure roller from the drum, lever actuated means between the levers oi the impression roller and the arms of the yoke toraise the blotting and drying roller when the impression roller is down and to permit lowering thereof when the impression roller is engaged with a sheet against the drum during the printing of a sheet, means normally holding the blotting and drying roler toward the pressure roller, means for guiding thesheets fromv between said latter rollers, a receiving tray for the sheets, and means for holding the blotting and drying roller elevated.

2. A blotting and drying attachment for duplicating machines having a printing drum suitably driven andan impression roller coacting therewith, means coacting between the drum and impression roller to cause raising and lowering of the impression roller to engage the drum and printing surface or to move downwardly awayfrom the same when the sheets are red forwardly and upwardly against the sheet 'ior'impressing the same, comprising levers swingably supporting said impression roller, a, blotting and drying roller, a yoke movably supporting said'blotting and drying roller to be raised and lowered, a pressure roller beneath the blotting and drying roller, means for driving said pressure roller from the I drum, lever actuated means between the levers of the impression roller and the arms of the yoke to raise the blotting and drying roller when the impression roller is down and to permit lowering thereof when the impression roller is engaged with a sheet against the drum during the printing of a sheet, means normally holding the blotting and drying roller toward the pressure roller, a frame supporting said rollers having a discharge and receiving means for the sheets, means for guiding the sheets when the blotting and drying roller is raised or removed, and means engageable with the arms of the yoke to hold the blotting and drying roller elevated in spaced relation to the pressure roller to prevent contact with the latter except when passing a sheet interposed therebetween so that the pressure roller will run ink free and the sheets will be delivered free of smearing and discoloration, and means for holding said lever actuated means in position to permit lowering of the blotting and drying roller.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said lever actuated means includes a pair of substantially L-shaped levers pivoted at their leg junctures to a supporting structure, a first roller carried by the shorter legs of said L-shaped levers engageable with the levers of the impression roller to pivot said L-shaped levers in one direction, a second roller carried by the longer legs of said L-shaped levers engageable with the yoke for raising the latter.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said longer legs of said L-shaped levers include slidably adjustable extensions for predetermined positioning of said blotting and drying roller above said pressure roller.

5.,A blotting and drying attachment for duplicating machines having a printing drum suitably driven and an impression roller coacting therewith, means coacting between the drum and impression roller to cause raising and lowering of the impression roller to engage the drum and printing surface or to move downwardly away from the same when the sheets are fed forwardly and upwardly against the sheet for impressing the same, comprising levels swingably supporting said impression roller, a blotting and drying roller, a yoke movably supporting said blotting and drying roller to be raised and lowered, a pressure roller beneath the blotting and drying roller, means for driving said pressure roller from the drum, asupporting frame, a pair of rockable members pivoted to said frame, a first bearing element carried by said rockable members engageable with the levers of said impression roller to pivot said rockable members in one direction, a second bearing element carried by said rockablemembers engageable with the yoke for raising the latter, and means normally holding the blotting and drying roller toward the pressure roller.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said rockable members include slidably adjustable extensions for predetermined positioning of said blotting and drying roller above said pressure roller.

JACK S. McLANE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 637,764 Campbell NOV. 28, 1899 671,634 Saunders Apr. 9, 1901 

